Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1161926
3 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 SEPTEMBER 2019 KARL AZZOPARDI A group of NGOs gathered in Val- letta yesterday to boost the momen- tum ahead of a national protest against excessive construction, scheduled for next week. The organisations are calling on resi- dents, workers, farmers, students and other NGOs to join them in a protest on 7 September to oppose over-the-top construction and environmental deg- radation. In a press conference outside Parlia- ment, the NGOs briefed the media on the issues and demands the demonstra- tors will be bringing to the fore during the national protest. The protestors have six over-arching demands: a change in planning poli- cies; better regulation of the construc- tion industry; a moratorium on large- scale projects until a comprehensive development plan is introduced; the restructuring of boards on the authori- ties responsible for planning and the environment; the reconsideration of road widening projects; and the prior- itisation of citizens' health. Speaking at the briefing, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar activist Robert Louis Fenech warned that Malta was witness- ing the total collapse of rules designed to protect the common citizen. He lamented that when it came to drawing up and revising the fuel sta- tions policy, the issue had "dragged on for more than two years." Paul Vella, whose mother was killed after the building she lived in collapsed in 2000, called on the government to re- alise that the situation where everything was done in order to accommodate de- velopers' requests couldn't continue. "When an accident happens, a min- ister always comes around to console you, but as time goes by, the help they say is there never arrives," Vella said. Architect Alex Torpiano from Din l- Art Ħelwa highlighted that it was only NGOs which were speaking up about the issues raised by citizens, a state of affairs which was unacceptable. "Deci- sions are being taken with the excuse and cover of having to abide by outdat- ed policies," Torpiano said. The protest, Iż-Żejjed Kollu Żejjed, will be held in Valletta next Saturday, with the demonstrations beginning at around 10am in front of the law courts. Sixty NGOs have thus far confirmed their attendance. More information regarding the pro- test can be found at 7settembru.org. Enough is enough: NGO coalition gears up for national protest Broad alliance: yesterday's press conference was addressed by Christine Cassar - Moviment Graffitti; Robert Fenech - Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar; Alex Torpiano - Din l-Art Helwa; Norman Zammit - Pembroke resident opposing the db Group project; Paul Vella - Sliema resident whose mother died after their house collapsed due to construction works; Christian Scerri - Attard Residents Environmental Network; and Anastasia Finkel - Friends of the Earth Discount chain CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 According to a brochure seen by MaltaToday, the company is planning to have 12 stores in total. The last major retail group to enter the Maltese mar- ket was SPAR International, which partnered with the Azzopardi Group. SPAR is the world's largest food retail chain with over 12,777 stores in 48 countries and overall sales of up to €34.5 billion. SPAR was prospecting a total of 23 stores by 2025, includ- ing two INTERSPAR Hyper- markets, four large-format SPAR Supermarkets, and 17 SPAR neighbourhood stores. Almost half of the respond- ents in a MaltaToday survey on supermarkets in 2016 chose the discount giant Lidl as their first store of choice, followed by 15% who men- tioned Pavi in Qormi and 11% who prefer Smart super- market in Birkirkara. The survey suggested that Lidl was more popular among those with a secondary level of education. Among this category of re- spondents, 52% mentioned Lidl as one of the supermar- kets from where they buy most goods. But Lidl also appeals to re- spondents with a university level of education, 40% of whom also mentioned Lidl.